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October 2012 Archives

Two days following the close of the 2012 season for the George Washington women's soccer team, senior Samie Cloutier was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team by the website College Sports Madnesson Tuesday.

A four-year starter for the Colonials, Cloutier was a Secont Team All-Conference selection following the 2011 season and was named to the A-10 Preseason All-Rookie team in 2009.

A defender responsible for patrolling the Colonials' back line, Cloutier scored her first collegiate goal this season on Oct. 6 against Charlotte. Over her career, the Pleasanton, Calif., native helped GW post 16 shutouts, including six during her rookie campaign.

The Colonials wrapped the season with an overall record of 5-12-1 and a 1-8-0 mark in the A-10. Click here for a full list of College Sports Madness All-Conference honorees.

"Solid performance all-around
today," said head coach Mark Davis. "We did much better than we did at this
event last year and we also rowed a lot better than last week in Boston (at the Head of
the Charles). We still have a lot of work to do and will be training hard these
next four weeks before winter break."

The Colonials will conclude their
fall schedule at the Rutgers Challenge on November 4.

The GW women rowing team was also
in action on LakeCarnegie. The Colonials
entered two boats in the Women's Varsity 8+ event, finishing in 28thand
51stplace out of 55
crews.

GW's Varsity boat rowed the
two-mile course in 14:55, about one minute behind the winning crew from
Cornell. The Colonials' second boat finished in 16:27.

"Our Varsity 8 had its best performance
of the fall, which I am very happy about," said Head Coach Eric Carcich.
"It was good to see some Atlantic 10 crews in the field because it gives
us a good sense of where we stand in the conference. The JV boat had a little
collision and struggled because of that, but the main goal of the weekend was
to get both crews out there and get some work in against some good
competition."

The GW women's team will conclude
its fall schedule at the Head of the Occoquan on November 3.

In line with the university's initiative of community service, all of GW's 23 varsity teams commit time to give back to the district. On October 13th, the GW Gymnastics team spent much of its day assisting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 'Light The Night' event in Washington, D.C.

'Light The Night' is a series of fundraising walks of varying length held across the country. The event gets its name from the way that its volunteers illuminate the night sky by distributing glowing balloons to participants who raise $100 or more for the cause. The walks are held each fall and welcome individual, group, and corporate supporters. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society uses funds raised to help fuel its support and research efforts for those battling cancer.

'Light The Night' has become an annual event for GW's gymnastics team.

"We have participated in this event the last four years, and I believe the team participated in years before as well," said senior Stephanie Stoicovy. "They recognize our name and always welcome us back when we ask if we can volunteer."

The team devoted their time to the children present at the event by operating the Kid Zone. This duty included assisting and supervising activities such as Dance Dance Revolution, spin art and bracelet making, and many other games. The Colonials enjoyed working with the children and look forward to continuing their annual participation in 'Light The Night.'

"It felt great to give back to our community right here in D.C.," said Stoicovy. "It was very nice to see the smiles we helped put on the children's faces! Everyone should make time to give back to the community and help others; as our volunteer shirts said, 'I walk because someone's life depends on it.'"

Click Here to view more photos from gymnastics' 'Light the Night' experience

-The Colonials dropped the final road match of the regular season to UMASS by a score of 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.

-GW recorded 9 shots on the weekend.

-The team returns home next weekend for the final games of the regular season, taking on A-10 newcomer Butler for the first time ever on Friday and facing Saint Louis on Sunday.

-Seniors Molly Bruh, Samie Cloutier, Moya, Clare Roche, and Kayley Sullivan will be honored in a Senior Day ceremony prior to Sunday's match against SLU.

Volleyball

-Senior Candace Silva-Martin became the fourth player in Atlantic 10 history to reach 2,000 career digs in Friday's 3-0 loss at VCU.

-The Colonials posted a season-high 15.0 team blocks in Saturday's 3-1 defeat of Charlotte with three different players recording at least six blocks.

-GW mirrored a strong defensive performance with eight service aces in the win over the 49ers.

-Senior Lauren Whyte led the squad with her 38th career double-double, notching 15 kills and 11 digs while recording a match-high 16.5 points.

Men's Tennis

-GW completed the opening three days of the USTA/ITA Atlantic Regional Championship over the weekend at the University of Virginia.

-Junior Nikita Fomin received a first-round singles bye and defeated two opponents before dropping his round of 16 match to the tournament's No. 4 seed and No. 52 nationally ranked Alexis Huegas of VCU.

-Junior Ulrik Tomsen defeated two main draw foes before falling to the No. 1 seed and the nation's No. 2 ranked player Jarmere Jenkins of Virginia.

-In doubles action, the duo of Fomin and freshman Danil Zelenkov won four straight matches, including an upset of the tournament's No. 3 seed and 28th-ranked doubles team in the country, to advance to the semifinals and will face the No. 47 ranked doubles pair UVA's Justin Shane and Julen Uriguen on Monday afternoon.

Women's Tennis

-The Colonials competed in the USTA/ITA Atlantic Regional hosted by Virginia over the weekend to conclude fall play.

-Freshman Lana Robins won two qualifying matches as well as Round 1 of the singles main draw before falling to the tournament's No. 1 seed and the nation's No. 52 ranked Petra Januskova on Sunday.

-GW placed 11th out of 20 teams in this weekend's Kings Point Dinghy Open, a tune-up for next weekend's War Memorial MAISA Fall Coed Championship.

-Three Colonials sailed in the A Division and took home a trio of top-five finishes under senior skipper Ian Conners.

-Conners and seniors Skye Kussmann and Rebecca Engel put forth a 10th place effort overall in the A Division.

-Freshman skipper Jay Spector combined with classmate Henry Young and senior Richard Sant to capture 15th place in the B Division.

-Spector and Young highlighted their weekend with a third-place showing in Race #2.

Golf

-GW currently holds 15th place in a field of 18 through Round 1 of the three-day 33rd annual Old Dominion/Outer Banks Collegiate Invitational at the par-72, 6,535-yard Kilmarlic Golf Club in Powells Point, N.C.

-Freshman Michael Helton leads the Colonials with a 3-over 75 performance to tie him in 25th place.

-Sophomore Jack Persons is tied for 32nd just one stroke behind Helton with a 4-over 76.

Earlier
this week, George Washington's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC)
revealed Adopt-A-Team, a new community service initiative pairing
varsity sports with GW's Greek Life. The announcement was made by both
SAAC members and members of the Greek Life community at Monday evening's
SAAC meeting, and student-athletes are already looking forward to
working on future service projects with members of GW's fraternities and
sororities.

The
partnership was established in conjunction with the Athletic
Department's desire to increase the involvement of student-athletes
within the community while facilitating the interaction between
student-athletes and the rest of the student body. Ten fraternities and
sororities are paired with all 23 of GW's varsity sports and aim to
come together for both one-time philanthropic events as well as
long-term service projects.

Last
year, Greek Life completed 60,000 hours of community service and looks
to increase service hours as a result of the new partnership.

"By
adding over 450 athletes that are committed to doing service this year,
the Center for Student Engagement and GW Athletics believe this
partnership will achieve more service hours," said Joey Maman, Greek
Life Residence Director. "We're very excited to see the positive
outcome of this partnership."

In
addition to boosting community involvement, student-athletes hope that
the partnership will help build relationships between student-athletes
and the rest of the student body.

"One
of the big goals with SAAC this year was to work with the Student
Association to bridge the gap between student-athletes and
non-student-athletes," said SAAC president Alex Dadds, a senior on the
men's cross country team. "The Adopt-A-Team program is just one way we
are working to bridge that gap. We know that our fans are one of the
biggest drivers for our teams' success, so by participating in community
service activities with the rest of the student body, student-athletes
have the opportunity to be seen as more than just athletes."

The
student-athletes look forward to achieving their community service
goals hand-in-hand with members of Greek Life throughout the duration of
the year.

"We
cannot stress how excited we are with our new partnership with Greek
Life," said Stephan Franke, a senior swimmer and SAAC general body
member. "Through our new partnership, GW Athletics will strengthen both
our bond with GW students and our fellow Washingtonians."

Weekends as a George Washington student-athlete are often full of games, practices or workouts. Last Saturday, the GW women's water polo team got their workout in by volunteering with Kids Enjoying Exercise Now (KEEN).

KEEN is a volunteer-led non-profit organization that provides one-to-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with developmental and physical disabilities at no cost to their families and caregivers. KEEN's mission is to foster the self-esteem, confidence, skills and talents of its athletes through non-competitive activities, allowing young people facing even the most significant challenges to meet their individual goals.

"We wanted to do something sports-related (for community service), and KEEN has a really cool program where we got to make a difference and have fun at the same time," said senior Jessie Hurd, who found the organization and arranged for the team to volunteer.

There are KEEN programs in many sports, including KEEN Tennis, KEEN Swim, KEEN Bowling and KEEN Fit. Since there is no KEEN water polo, the GW women's water polo team volunteered with another sport they know something about - KEEN Swim.

The squad arrived at Georgetown Preparatory School in Rockville, Md., for a quick training session. Each GW student-athlete was partnered with a KEEN athlete after receiving profiles of the KEEN athletes' age, disability and swimming ability to prepare each volunteer to meet her partner.

"We were really prepared for the type of behavior to expect from the athletes," said sophomore Jessie Sinkula. "The leaders of KEEN Swim made it really easy to feel comfortable interacting with the athletes, especially for the people on the team who had never interacted with a disabled child before. It was a good experience."

The Colonials met their athletes and played with them in the pool for 50 minutes, getting the KEEN athletes comfortable in the water, teaching them how to blow bubbles and playing games.

"As an athlete, I was absolutely moved by the pure joy these kids got from just being in the water, and it helped reinvigorate my own love for water polo," said freshman Caroline Sandri. "Working with my KEEN athlete, an adult with autism, and sharing a tearful goodbye hug at the end is a memory I will never forget."

KEEN Swim takes place once a month, and the team is planning to return to volunteer again in November.

KEEN is headquartered in D.C. with other locations nationwide. KEEN Greater DC now operates 23 programs throughout the area.

There is certainly no lack of internships available to GW students each summer, but one baseball student-athlete landed his dream opportunity.

Kenny O'Brien, a senior pitcher on the GW baseball team, spent his break interning with the

Advertising & Marketing Department at the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. His job duties included market research for all 30 teams, attendance analysis, and other marketing-related projects.

"It was the perfect opportunity," O'Brien said. "Because I was able to live at home in Yonkers, N.Y., commute to the Office of the Commissioner on 46th and Park in New York City, take a summer online course at night, and still find a way to work out and pitch about 40 innings over the summer in a local league."

Even with such a busy schedule, O'Brien maintains he loved the opportunity, especially considering the perks involved with the job. Not only did he attend Mets games at Citi Field with the other interns, but he experienced the preparations for the All-Star Game in Kansas City firsthand as well.

"The office itself was an awesome place to work everyday," he explained. "On my first day I made the wrong turn on the 34th floor and found myself in front of a replica of Wrigley Field's ivy-covered wall."

As an economics major, O'Brien gained invaluable insight into the sports industry and the game he plays on a daily basis. Because of the internship, he knows he wants to work in baseball in the future.

First comes his senior season with the baseball team, however, where he'll look to translate his new Major League Baseball savvy into team success for the Colonials, under new head coach and former big league hitting coach, Gregg Ritchie.

One of three starters set to return to the Colonials' lineup this
season, Kromah is the team's leading returning scorer at 11.1 points per
game in 2011-12, his first season back after missing the entire 2010-11
campaign with a Lisfranc fracture in his left foot.

For the first time in program history, the George Washington
women's cross country has garnered a regional ranking in the latest edition of
the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
(USTFCCCA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Poll.

The Colonials are currently ranked 15th in the poll,
which includes Atlantic 10 rivals La Salle (7th), Duquesne (9th) and Saint Joseph's (14th).
Also ranked are local rivals Georgetown (1st),
Navy (6th) and Maryland
(12th).

GW used a 13th-place finish (out of 28 teams) at last
weekend's Princeton Invitational to vault into the regional rankings. As a
team, the Colonials have registered one top-five and two top-10 finishes this
season.

The Colonials have next weekend off as they prepare for the
Atlantic 10 Championships on October 27 at Philadelphia's
Belmont Plateau at FairmountPark.

GW finished in 11th-place at last year's A-10 Championship
while its highest finish at the event came in 1997 when the Colonials took
fifth-place at nearby Bull Run Park in Centerville, Va.

Women's Soccer-Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Fasano recorded a career-high 10 saves
in GW's tough 1-0 loss to Atlantic 10 leader LaSalle, which is ranked
No. 2 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of American
Mid-Atlantic Regional Poll. -In Sunday's match at Fordham, freshman Kristi Abbate's goal
knotted the match at one with just 53 seconds left in regulation play,
forcing overtime.-The Colonials could not find the back of
the net as Fordham's game-winning goal found the back of the net off of a
deflection by Fasano to tip the scale in Fordham's favor.-Sophomore Nicole Belfonti led the
Colonials with three shots on Sunday while Abbate and seniors Molly Bruh
and Kayley Sullivan each took two.

Cross Country

-The women's team took 13th out of 28 teams at the Princeton Invitational on Saturday at the West Windsor Fields.

-Senior Heather Stevens recorded a new personal best in the
6,000-meter with a time of 22:14 earning her a 22nd-place finish out of
219 runners.

-Sophomores Katie Bishop, Aubrey Gunnels, and
Erica Halvorson also set personal bests with times of 23:38, 24:05, and
24:33, respectively.

-All six of GW's men set personal bests as the squad ran to a
16th-place finish out of 28 teams at the Princeton Invitational on
Saturday afternoon.

-Freshman Ryan Tucker broke his previous
best time by nearly two minutes as his 25:13 time earned him 60th place
out of 212 runners in the 8,000-meter event.

-Senior Alex Dadds improved by the next highest margin shaving 45
seconds off his previous personal record with his 95th-place 24:34
finish followed by sophomore John-Louis Pane's 42 second improvement,
setting a new PR of 25:58 in his 24th-place performance.

-The Colonials will next run in the Atlantic 10 Championships later this month.

-Senior goalkeeper Camerin Illes added to his program-leading career saves total with 11 denials in the contest.

-The
Colonials' next match on Wednesday will serve as Senior Night and will
recognize seniors Illes, John Paul Bezerra and Guy Helman as well as
graduate student Milos Purkovic.

Sailing

-GW's first team of
freshman Maria Sinagra and sophomore Matthew Ricci in the A Division and
freshman Hannah McNomee and junior Sloan Dickey in the B Division
combined for a sixth-place showing out of 15 teams at the North #2
Regatta hosted by Cornell on Cayuga Lake over the weekend.

-Sinagra and Ricci placed fourth in the A Division with 10 top-five finishes, including a victory and a second-place showing.

-McNomee
and Dickey's weekend was highlighted by three top-five finishes
including a third-place finish on Sunday en route to earning ninth-place
in the B Division.

-The Colonials' second team of freshmen Benjamin Helfand and Alix
Suter in the A Division and freshman Michael Ince and junior Christopher
Nolfi in the B Division claimed 11th place.

-Helfand and Suter recorded a pair of top-five finishes, while Ince and Nolfi sailed to four top-five performances.

Women's Tennis

-GW competed
in the fourth annual Navy Blue and Gold Invitational at the Midshipmen's
Brigade Sports Complex in Annapolis, Md. over the weekend.

-Junior
Leah Pascarella in Flight A, senior Mimi Hamling in Flight B, and
junior Isabella Escobar in Flight D all reached the semifinals of their
respective brackets before being eliminated.

-In doubles play, the duo of Hamling and freshman Lana Robins
defeated Towson's Ariel Burke and Cailey Easdale in Flight A by a score
of 8-1.

Women's Swimming

-GW dominated the field in the weekend's tri-meet with American and
Catholic at AU's Reeves Aquatic Center, amassing 239 points through 13
events while American and Catholic earned 55 and 41, respectively .- The Colonials won all but one of the 13 events over the two-day span. -Sophomore Janica Lee and junior Caroline Myers each won four events throughout the weekend.
-In the 200-yard freestyle, GW took first through seventh places led by Myers with a time of 1:57:39.-Freshman Hannah Schaefer won her first collegiate event with a
first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01:90.
Schaefer went on the win the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:13:46.

Men's Swimming-The Colonials took second-place overall at the weekend's tri-meet with American and Catholic, trailing AU by just 14 points.
-Senior
Phillip Graeter won the 400-yard individual medley with a time of
4:10:00 while junior teammate Jake Mortensen took fifth with a time of
4:25:00 in the same event.-GW took the top three spots in the 200-yard freestyle, led by
freshman Jordan Sharples with a time of 1:44:62. Sharples was followed
by seniors Luke Quimby and Stephen Nelson with times of 1:46:84 and
1:48:87, respectively.

-Quimby claimed victory in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.24.

The George Washington men's rowing team opened its fall
racing schedule on Sunday at the Occoquan Chase in Woodbridge, Va.

GW raced a total of five boats on the afternoon and found
success in each event they entered. The Colonials tallied two victories, two
second-place finishes and a third-place showing.

In the Men's Open 8+ event, the Colonials entered two boats
and finished in second- and third-place out of 13 crews, respectively. The
Florida Institute of Technology won the event in 15:34.42 and was followed by
GW's Varsity 8, which finished in 16:03.99. The Colonials second boat came in
third place in 16:28.43.

Both of GW's freshman boats, the Freshman 8 and the Freshman
4, won their respective events in dominating fashion.

The Freshman 8 topped seven crews for a first-place finish
in 16:52.10, nearly three minutes ahead of second-place George Mason. The
Freshman 4 took first-place out of four boats in 18:12.08, almost three minutes
ahead of George Mason, American and Old Dominion.

GW also raced a Varsity 4, consisting of all seniors, in the
Open Men's 4+ event. The Colonials seniors finished in second place in
18:01.45, just 14 seconds behind an alumni boat from George Mason.

"Overall, it was a solid day of racing but I think our
Varsity 8 raced a little flat as they had some steering issues," said Head
Coach Mark Davis. "We are going to get back to practice this week and work hard
and get ready for Sunday's Head of the Charles up in Boston."

With Colonials Invasion in the books and the start of basketball season less than a month away, it's time for the annual doling out of preseason honors by media outlets.

Last week, graduate student Tara Booker was selected to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team by College Sports Madness. Last season, Booker led GW in rebounding (7.0 rpg), blocks (1.1 bpg), field goal percentage (.429), three-point field goals made (47) and three-point percentage (.353) and ranked second in scoring (12.0 ppg) and steals (2.0 spg). One of two Colonials to start all 29 games, she ranked among A-10 leaders in most of those categories as well. The Galloway, N.J., native finished the season strong, averaging 14.7 ppg over her final six contests, tallying two of her four double-doubles during that stretch.

Booker enters the 2012-13 season sixth all-time at GW with 162 career three-pointers and 13th with 599 career rebounds.

The Colonials tip off the 2012-13 campaign on Friday, Nov. 9, when they host Texas-Arlington at 7 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center. Tickets are available here. And you can follow GW women's basketball all season long on Twitter at @GW_WBB.

After last Friday's win over Duquesne, head volleyball
coach Amanda Ault informed her team that Saturday would not be a typical
practice day. Instead, Ault showed the team a video hinting at what the next day would entail.

Honor Flight Network (HFN) is an organization
determined to help every American war veteran visit the memorials that
were created in their honor in Washington, D.C. HFN's first priority is
World War II veterans, and the group works with donors and airlines to arrange
visits to our nation's capital at no cost to the veterans. According to
HFN's website, 81,000 veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam have visited
their war memorials as a result of HFN's efforts.

When Ault caught wind of a HFN WWII group scheduled
to visit the District on Saturday, she knew her team would want to be
there.

"We live in this amazing city and
opportunities like this are what it's all about. With us not having a
Saturday match it was perfect timing!" said Coach Ault.

The video shown to our Colonials described HFN's
mission and shared how grateful the veterans were to have the chance to
see the memorials that honored so many friends lost in battle. The
student-athletes were overcome with emotion after the viewing and were
eager to meet the veterans the following morning.

At 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, the volleyball team
greeted the veterans of HFN flights from San Diego and Nevada with
applause as they emerged from five large tour buses and viewed the WWII
memorial for the first time. Many of the student-athletes became
emotional once again as they heard the veterans recount their memories from
long ago. The Colonials entered the memorial with the veterans and
witnessed how powerful the experience was for our retired warriors. The
many appreciative thanks issued by the veterans conveyed the impact of
the presence of our young student-athletes.

"As a coach, those moments when you get to watch
your players impact the lives of others, that's what it's all about,"
said Coach Ault, "That is a memory I'll keep with me forever. I'm proud
of our team and the way they represented George Washington volleyball."

The
morning at the memorial left the Colonials with a deeper appreciation
for our nation's capital and the sacrifices made by the visiting
veterans.

"Having the opportunity to
pay tribute to the World War II veterans through the Honor Flight
Network has topped the list of the most memorable experience I have yet
to have here in DC." said sophomore Landon Garvik. "That moment that I realized I was standing at
the WWII memorial surrounded by the veterans who were being honored by
that very setting in Washington, D.C. was an incredible feeling to say the
least. I felt so grateful toward those men and women as I watched them
remember their time of service and even heard stories about their
extraordinary courage. GW volleyball was so excited to be a part of
showing the Veterans that their efforts are not forgotten. I know for a
few of the girls, myself included, this experience ignited a lot of
pride within ourselves as we remembered our grandparents who also served
along with those who were participating in the Honor Flight that day.
This was a life-changing event for our entire team, and I know that each
and every GW volleyball player and coach fully enjoyed spending time
with people who risked their lives for our entire country. Never has
going to school in Washington, D.C. meant more to me than on that morning.
GW volleyball is more proud to be American than ever before. Even Maggie, from Norway, found an American bone in her body
that morning, and we all continue to find the importance of giving thanks
to the Veterans and heroes of all kinds!"

-Senior Candace Silva-Martin posted a match-high 29 digs in addition to four assists and two aces.

-GW posted a season-high 11.0 team blocks while recording eight aces (second-highest tally of the season).

Sailing

-GW clinched a spot in the War Memorial Regatta - the Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association Fall Championship - with a fifth-place finish at the Tom Curtis Memorial Regatta.-Seniors Ian Conners and Rebecca Engel sailed in the A Division and posted a fifth-place performance highlighted by a pair of second-place finishes.

-Freshman Maria Sinagra and sophomore Meagan Murphy competed for the Colonials in the B Division and boasted a fourth-place performance with a trio of second-place finishes.

-Sophomore standout Fransisco Dias ended his impressive run in the ITA/D'Novo All-American Championships on Saturday with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to No. 60 Connor Smith of Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the main draw singles consolation bracket.

-Ranked No. 89, Dias upset four nationally-ranked opponents throughout singles and doubles play in the tournament, including No. 17 Bob van Overbeek of Florida.

The
GW softball team took a morning off from practice Thursday to tour one
of DC's most recognizable representations of our nation's government,
the Capitol building. On the morning after the presidential hopefuls
engaged in their first debate of the year, GW's Atlantic 10 runner-up
squad put current politics aside to gain insight into the historical
context surrounding that large white structure at the far end of the
mall.

Former
Congressman from Maine Jim Longley led the tour and recounted the
history of the Capitol while pointing out the architectural and artistic
mastery found throughout the building. During the tour, Longley shared
stories of the great leadership displayed by George Washington that
helped shape his fledgling nation. The discussion of leadership was
appropriate for the time.

"I
found it quite fitting that [Langley] emphasized this because we value
leadership here within the GW athletics department. At a time when the
softball team is choosing the 2012-13 captains, it was very fitting to
learn how influential George Washington was, and more importantly, in a
way that highlighted his integrity," said third-year head coach Stacey
Schramm.

The Buff and Blue-clad student-athletes enjoyed their private tour and
left with a newfound respect for the government and its intricate
history.

"We
learned a lot about our nation's history and the leadership and time
that went into laying the foundations for the country we live in today,"
said senior outfielder Autumn Taylor. "I hope that learning about those
individuals will help us grow as a team and realize how influential we
can be as we rewrite the history of GW softball."

GW women's lacrosse sophomore Mackenzie Jones received the athletic department's first Community Service Athlete of the Month award this past week.

The Community Service Athlete of the Month award, a distinction which started this year, goes to the student-athlete who leads by example and who most impacts the GW and Washington community through service.

"This award means a lot to me," Jones said. "I do what I do because I enjoy serving the community, but it is really nice to have recognition for all that I am doing."

Jones' service includes her job as Resource Coordinator for the Grassroots Colonials Program, a project that seeks to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS by using collegiate student-athletes to educate local middle school students of the issue, and working as a mentor with College for Every Student, where she speaks with young students on the importance of attending college.

"Mackenzie's positive attitude and leadership in community service participation and organization has been exceptional in the first month of classes," said Ted Costigan, GW Athletics' Life Skills Coordinator.

Jones' service isn't slowing down any time soon, either. Her next task is organizing a group of student-athletes to join the Grassroots Colonials in taking part in the AIDS Walk on October 27.

"I hope that I inspire or encourage others to find something they are passionate about and give back to the community through that passion," Jones explained. "It's definitely a rewarding experience."

In a weekend marked by celebration of GW Alumni returning to their college stomping grounds, GW's men's squash team put a spin on Alumni Weekend by visiting the current workplace of a squash alumnae.

The GW men's squash team spent Saturday afternoon at the Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Baltimore, Md., visiting SquashWise, a non-profit organization that encourages academic achievement and physical fitness through the instruction of squash.

The Colonials worked with 15 middle school boys and girls and introduced the youths to what a Division I squash practice entails. The SquashWise students warmed up alongside the student-athletes and then enjoyed an afternoon of instruction and games.

SquashWise was founded in 2007 by a group of squash players who wanted to use their sport in conjunction with an effort to improve the educational success of Baltimore-area underprivileged youth. Among the founders is GW graduate Abby Markoe ('03), who was co-captain of GW's first-ever women's varsity team and reached out to her alma mater for involvement in SquashWise several years ago.

Last year, sixth-year Head Coach Wendy Lawerence hosted a group of SquashWise students for a campus tour and meet-and-greet with the Colonials' teams. The relationship between GW and SquashWise will continue with another visit to Baltimore next month by GW's women's team.

"We hope to make this an annual event with both the men's and women's teams," said Coach Lawerence.

The GW squash program's road trip to Baltimore was a fitting experience on Alumni Weekend and serves as an excellent example of current student-athletes coming together with Alumni to help improve communities.

The George Washington women's rowing team opened the fall
portion of its schedule on Sunday afternoon at the Head of the Potomac.

The Colonials entered three boats in the Women's Open 8
event, placing second, seventh and eighth overall out of nine crews.

The Varsity 8 finished in 15:46.4, behind Georgetown's Varsity crew. The JV 8 took
seventh in 16:50.7, followed by the Freshman 8 in 16:54.6.

"It was good to get the first race of the fall season
under our belt and expose some of the areas that we need to work on," said
Head Coach Eric Carcich. "We have the type of the that I know that they
are willing to work hard until they get it right."

-Junior midfielder Alex Neal led GW with three shots in the Colonials' 2-0 loss to Richmond on Friday.

-GW freshman goalkeeper Shannon Murphy recorded a career-best five saves in a 2-0 loss to A-10 newcomer VCU on Sunday afternoon.

-Freshman Kristi Abbate posted a match-high four shots for the Colonials on Sunday.

Men's Soccer

-Senior Seth Rudolph converted a penalty kick for his team-leading fourth goal of the season in GW's 3-1 loss to Longwood in its non-conference finale on Saturday.-The defending Atlantic 10 regular-season co-champions begin conference play this coming weekend with a pair of matches in the Virginia state capital - at Richmond on Friday and at VCU on Sunday.

Volleyball

-Freshman Maddy Doyle recorded a career-high 20 kills in GW's 3-0 loss to Butler on Friday.

-Jamie Armstrong posted a .381 attack percentage with 10 kills and just two errors while redshirt junior Jessica Lubic racked up 35 assists and seven digs against the Bulldogs.

-GW rebounded with a thrilling five-set victory at Saint Louis that saw the Colonials rally from a 2-0 deficit against the Billikens on Saturday.

-Senior Lauren Whyte led the Colonials with 18 kills and 10 digs at SLU.

-Sophomore Kelsey Newman recorded career-highs of 18 digs and six blocks alongside 14 winners for a match-high 19.5 points.

-Five Colonials' sailors also competed at the South #1 with seniors Ian Conners and Rebecca Engel posting GW's top performance with a fifth-place showing in Race #9. The Colonials placed seventh out of 14 teams overall.

-GW will have another opportunity to earn a spot at the War Memorial MAISA Coed Championship this weekend in the South #2 regatta, which will set sail on the Potomac River and the Washington Sailing Marina.

Men's Tennis

-Senior Alexander van Gils and freshman Danil Zelenkov both reached the second round of the pre-qualifying portion of the ITA/D'Novo All-American Men's Tennis Championships at the University of Tulsa.

-Van Gils triumphed over his first opponent from Bradley in straight sets by scores of 6-1, 6-3. He then dropped a tight second-round match to an opponent from Tennessee by scores of 7-5, 6-4.

-Zelenkov dove straight into second-round play after receiving a first-round bye. He went the distance in a tough loss to his Vanderbilt foe by scores of 5-7, 7-6, 7-5.

-The singles qualifying round of the Championships begins today and includes sophomore Fransisco Dias, junior Nikita Fomin. GW's doubles teams of Fomin and Zelrnkov, and Dias and van Gils begin play on Thursday.